Chief Executive

Our benefits

You can also see our full list of employee benefits on our careers site here: Why you should work for us | West Northamptonshire Council.

About the role

West Northamptonshire is a place of ambition and opportunity. As one of England’s largest unitary authorities, it is home to vibrant communities, growing market towns, world‑class heritage, and a strong foundation in industry, innovation, and green spaces. It is a place with momentum, and we are determined to match that with leadership that is confident, capable, and visionary. 

Over the past few years, the Council has set a bold strategic direction: strengthening adult and children’s services, deepening partnerships with health, accelerating regeneration, and championing sustained economic growth. Our long-term plan is clear and credible. What we need now is a Chief Executive who can turn strategy into reality, through presence, influence, and inspiration.

You can see more about the role on our website here: https://www.westnorthants.gov.uk/chief-executive

What will you be doing?

We are seeking an exceptional Chief Executive with the gravitas to represent West Northamptonshire on the national stage and the skill to lead a large, complex organisation through a period of significant opportunity and challenge. 

This is a role for a leader who is as comfortable shaping the future with Ministers, officials and national bodies as they are engaging residents, motivating staff, and empowering partners.

About you

You will be an experienced, dynamic, and emotionally intelligent leader who thrives in complexity and brings people with you. You’ll have: 

• A proven track record at executive level in a large public service or similarly complex environment.
• Credibility and confidence operating at national level, with the ability to influence government thinking and secure attention for local priorities.
• Expertisein major service delivery, with a strong understanding of the financial and systemic pressures facing local authorities.
• Energy, authenticity, and presence– the kind of leadership that inspires confidence in staff, elected members, partners, and communities.
• A focus on innovation, partnership, and delivery, coupled with the resilience and integrity required of a modern public service leader.

About us

At West Northants Council, it’s about our people. People who thrive with ambition, bubble with new ideas, demand better ways of working, caring about every detail, and who never shy away from a challenge. Our culture is a gateway for new experiences. A place to forge new opportunities. To empower you in your career and unite you with like-minded people.

Our vision is ‘to make West Northants a great place to live, work, visit and thrive’. We truly stand by this and work hard every day to make this a reality. Our corporate values, THRIVE, stand for: Trust, High Performance, Respect, Innovate and Empower, they underpin everything we do and how we deliver services. 

We are committed to ensuring diversity, equality, equity, and inclusion is woven into the fabric of WNC and everything we do, to enable all colleagues to develop and maximize their full potential.  We are a disability confident employer, a member of the Armed Forces Covenant, and a Care Leaver Covenant partner

The following film was created by us to communicate our intentions - watch WNC colleagues explain what DEI means to us. 

If you need additional support or reasonable adjustments during the application process, including needing the job description in another format or language, please email careers@westnorthants.gov.uk for support.

West Northants Council, where careers thrive.